Weasley Kidnapping
by Mischievious Mad Hatter
Summary: Now that old moldie voldie's back in power, Lucius decides to kidnap the two youngest Weasley children due to his hatred for their father, Arthur!
1. Kidnapped!

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Ok, I havn't done many HP stories at this, and I don't know if I suck, so you should just read the damn story and find out!!!!!! ...Sorry...**takes big breath** I get a bit emotional sometimes...Heh heh...

I promise it IS a good story, despite what you may think, so read it or I'll come after you...I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE! Mwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaa!

**cough** Heh, sorry...Disclaimer: Do you think I own any of this stuff? If you do then you're a dilweed because if I did I wouldn't be here right now, would I? Lol...all this stuff belongs to J.K Rowling, mmkay? OK!

On with the show...!!

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Weasley Kidnapping

**No one's pov** (lol heh heh, this bits a bit weird, but it gets a lot better when it gets to Ron's pov, so sit through it!)

Ron, Hermione and Harry were sitting in the last compartment of the scarlet Hogwarts train, as it pulled up to Station 9 4/3. Ginny Weasley came in to tell excitedly them they had reached their destination, and looked on mysteriously as Harry asked her twin brothers to stay behind for a minute. The six of them clambered off the large locomotive and onto the platform, spotting Mrs Weasley, a plump, kind, but sometimes scary woman, who happened to be the mother of all but two of them there. 

Harry and Hermione smiled thankfully as Mrs Weasley hugged and kissed them, as well as her other teen children. 

"So nice to see you all again," she said sweetly as her eyes focused mainly on Harry in pity, who had had quite a rough experience recently. 

"Mum," Ron asked, "can Harry stay with us again over the summer, if Dumbledore says it's ok?" Ron winked at Harry, who grinned back, hoping against hope that he'd be aloud. 

"Of course he can, as long it's ok with Professor Dumbledore." 

"Yes!" Ron and Harry chorused, giving each other a small secret high-five. Hermione looked away awkwardly, obviously wondering whether she could stay as well. Mrs Weasley seemed to noticed this, as she added, 'and I'm sure we can find some room for you to, Hermione.' Hermione grinned broadly, her brown eyes twinkling.

"Come on," said Fred, "we want to get home _some _time soon, you know!" 

"Yeah, this place smells," added George disgustedly. Harry could tell they were eager to get home and decide what to do with the thousand galleons he had just given them, to nobody else's' knowledge but their own.

"Alright, alright you two, honestly! Come on you lot, let's go." She motioned for them two follow her through the bewitched wall that would lead them to King's Cross Station, and they followed her in pairs - Harry and Hermione in front, then Ron and Ginny at back. 

The first lot went through the wall without any trouble, but, as Ron and Ginny stepped forward, they knew something had gone drastically wrong. Instead of coming out into a bright and heavily packed train station full of muggles, they came out into a mouldy, stuffy old room with boarded windows. Ron looked around, squinting into the surrounding darkness that seemed to close in all around them. Ginny whimpered softly, and Ron grabbed her hand, which received a tight squeeze. 

Ron stiffened when he heard a noise issue from somewhere in the dank room, and shivered when the back of his neck prickled, as though he was being watched. His breath was coming in deep, painful gasps now, and he was too scared to talk, but he tried desperately to calm himself down for Ginny, who he knew would be terrified. 

A loud yell issued behind them, and before they both had time to turn around, they were hit on the head by something large and metal, and send swirling into nothingness. 

***

**Ron's Pov**

Ron knew he was awake by the hard _thump, thump, thump _of his pounding heart drumming in his head. His senses slowly sharpened, and he felt himself lying on a cold stone floor, something warm stirring at his side. Everything that had happened rushed to him in a wave of understanding, and his eyes shot open, only to see darkness. A glint of red hair was sprawled across his shoulder, which he was relieved to find out was Ginny, and this way he could keep a safe eye on his only little sister. He checked for the wand in his pocket, but it was gone. 

He ever so slowly sat up, his head still throbbing with his massively oversized monster of a headache. Ginny groaned, sitting up and joining him in his confusion and dismay as they surveyed their surroundings. As far as they could see (which wasn't far, considering their seemed to be no windows in the room), was that they were in some kind of small, damp cell. Ron shook the bars, checking for any weaknesses, but stopped suddenly when he heard a noise ahead of him.

"Ron...?" Ginny whimpered, clinging onto his arm as they heard someone climbing down a staircase up ahead. 

"Don't worry Ginny," he answered soothingly, 'everything's going to be alright...I won't ever let anything hurt you, OK?" Ginny nodded her head, her blue eyes shimmering with tears. 

A door opened in front of them and they screwed their eyes up in protest to the blinding light that had just filled the room, penetrating the darkness. Ron shielded his face from the light with his arm, shaking with fear as he saw a shadow step through the doorway, chuckling softly.

"Ahh, you're awake," it said, in a very familiar drawling voice. Ron, still trying to work out where he knew that voice from, started when the man (or that's what it seemed) stalked towards them in a menacing manner. Ron was very perturbed when he thought about how the man could see them perfectly, but he was still a shadowy figure to them, due to the light directions. 

Ron, being a Gryffindor at heart, summoned up his courage enough to stammer out, "wh-what do you want with us? Why are we here? A-and where are we?" 

"Well, you're full of questions, aren't you just?" The man sneered, and Ron knew where he had heard that voice before - it was Draco Malfoy's Deatheater of a father, Lucius Malfoy! Luscious drew level with the cell, tapping at the bars, boasting that he was free and they were trapped like animals, with no way of escape. 'I'll answer all your questions in good time, I promise.' 

"Please let my sister go..." Ron begged, hoping rather than believing that it would be agreed to. He squeezed his Ginny's hand, which had found it's way into his own again, and was cold and clammy, much like himself. He felt cold on the outside, but on the inside his nerves buzzed and prickled with fear, and he was sweating, even though he wasn't hot at all. 

"Hmmm, however appealing that may be to me, I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline," Lucius said, mock kindly. "After all, my plan just simply wouldn't work properly without both of you two fine, muggle-loving specimens at my mercy." 

Ginny shivered, and Ron was startled when she spoke up. "Please, Mr Malfoy, let us go!" She squealed, her grip on Ron's hand tightening so hard it hurt. 

"Oh, so you've guessed who I am already? Very clever. But no, I don't think I'll let you go - either of you. How many times am I going to have to tell you that?" He shook his head in a disappointed way, and Ron became sick to the stomach at the way they were being treated by this murderous man. 

"Ok, so then...t-tell us what your plans are..." Ron hoped to God he sounded a lot better than he felt; the courage inside him only a tiny flicker of light, compared to the darkness of fear that surrounded him. His stomach was still queasy, and he felt a drop of cold sweat run down the side of his clammy face. 

"Very well, if I must, I must." Ron was surprised that Lucius was actually going to tell him, and the light inside of him shone a little bit brighter. "Well, since you know who I am, you know my absolute hatred for your father, and your entire poor, disgusting, Muggle-loving, Mudblood-loving, filthy family." 

Lucius laughed, and Ron felt a cold stab of hatred for him deep down somewhere in his heart. How dare he call _his _family all those things, with what _he_ and _his_ family did! He growled, without realising the sound had actually escaped his lips, and his stomach dropped when he noted how much he sounded like a wild animal trapped in a cage. 

"Anyway, I despise your father most of all, so, as a way to get to him and hurt him, I'm using his most beloved, and most vulnerable, children. My plan is to use threats against you to ruin him and his career (or so to call it), and send him crashing and burning into the ground, along with your whole family! I can get him to do anything I want any time I want now that I have you two, and the first thing I think I'll tell him to do is quit his stupid job. Yes, that's sounds good." He was by now talking more to himself then Ron and Ginny. Ron felt guilty somehow about what was going to happen to his father and the rest of his family, and it was all his fault. 

"What are you g-going to do?" Ginny stammered, barely above a whisper. 

'Why would I tell you before I do it?' Lucius Malfoy asked indignantly, 'where's the fun and surprise in that? No, I think I'll just wait for you to find out for yourselves. All I can say is that, it's going to be a lot of fun...for me that is. I doubt it'll be _any_ fun for you.' He let out a cruel, evil laugh and left the room, slamming the door behind him and enclosing them once more in total darkness. 

'R-ron?' Ginny whispered in his ear, making him jump.

'Yes?' 

'Are we going to get out of this alive?' 

Ron was horror-struck with the thought, and tried to push it to the back of his head, fixing his mind instead of a way to escape from there. No ideas came to him just yet. 'Of course we are, Gin', of course! Don't worry your silly ginger head, OK? Like I said, I won't let anything happen to you - even if you are my dumb little sister.' 

His big-brotherly insults and teasing seemed to cheer her up a bit, and she punched him softly on the shoulder, smiling and wiping the silent tears from her eyes. Ron knew he would stick to his promise - he would rather die before having anything or anyone hurt Ginny. 

The two of them decided to get some sleep, since there was not much else to do, it was dark, and they still both had huge migraine-headaches. Curling up in a ball together, body-heat sending warmth flowing through them, and sending them both into a restless and uneasy sleep. No matter what happened, they'd always stay together, no matter what.

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So? How was it? **Laughs issue from the crowd** Hey! It wasn't _that_ bad, was it? Jeese, shut up! **Wacks everyone on the head with a stick** **crowd stops laughing, rubbing their sore heads sourly** That's MUCH better...now, please, please, please, please, please, please, _please_ Review!! I'm begging you, I luv people's reviews! (As long as they're not bad, of course, hehe). REVIEW!!!! 

APOLOGIES: I apologise sincerely (and I mean it) if anyone though I was being mean or rude to them during my little author spasms!! Heheh...=^-^"=


	2. Ghastly Plans!

Ok, even though I don't think this was a particularly popular story, I'm continuing it anyway! Lol… Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN ANYTHING IMPORTANT SO DON'T SUE ME PLEASE! There, I think that said it all, lol. 

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**Draco's Pov**

Draco stared horror-struck at his father, who was talking to a dark-masked head in the fire in front of him. He felt sick to his stomach at the plans he had just heard. Plans to kidnap Ronald and Ginny, two of the Weasley's youngest children.

Despite his rivalry with Harry, and his hatred for the Weasley family, even he knew this was wrong. He shivered in the large, cold living room he was seated in. It wasn't a very cosy house, but it was his own. He shook himself out of his thoughts, trying to catch some of the conversation taking place in the fire. 

"And you say he wants to help?" His father asked the head in a surprised tone.

"Yes. He says apparently the older one is Harry Potter's best friend, and the girl is a close friend of his also. According to him we might even be able to persuade Harry to trade places with two, after you're through with them of course.' The dark head laughed maliciously, and his own father followed suit, giving Draco prickles of fear at the back of his neck.

Draco couldn't believe he was being so concerned about those two Weasels - after all, he _hated_ them. So why didn't he want them to get kidnapped? The thoughts were confusing, and he wished (secretly, of course) that Lord Voldemort hadn't been revived before the summer holidays. He also wished that his father wasn't a Deatheater, and he hoped _he'd_ never have to be. He'd met Lord Voldemort before, apparently, when he was a small baby, just before Harry destroyed Voldemort. Though Draco absolutely hated to admit it, he was thankful to Harry, for getting rid of this monster of a wizard. 

But now he had come back again, for another long reign of terror, and it made Draco feel very sick and queasy inside. When he thought about it all, he just wanted to throw up because he was so afraid. 

Damn it, why did he have to be so soft? Especially to Harry Potter, his rival, and his stupid little friends. Damn _them! _They were screwing up his life! Though he had never intended to be a Deatheater, and would run away before he was forced to be one, they weren't helping at all. He made up his mind - despite how much he loathed and despised them, he was going to help those two Weasels, and he might even be able to escape with them. No one deserved the stuff he knew his father was going to do to them - some of it had been done to him before, when he was being disobedient. Draco knew he may seem sour on the outside, and actually really was a lot of the time, but right deep down he was a very soft, pathetic person, and he hated _himself_ for it. 

"Thank you, McNair, I'm very grateful for your help," his father said, an indication for the head of McNair to leave.

"You're welcome, Lucius. Now that our Lord's back, I feel like my old self again. Well, bye then!" In a 'bamf' of smoke, the head disappeared. 

Draco started when his father turned to him and spoke, "well, Draco, son - I'm sure you'll be helping me in my bid to bring down Arthur Weasley, will you not?" Draco nodded obediently and silently. If he had said no he'd surely have got a belt beating for it. He shuddered. Those were the worst kind of all. He noted the horrible scars on his back he'd never shown anyone before, not even Crabbe and Goyle. 

Little did Draco know that the two teens had already been kidnapped, and were being held captive in his very own basement.

***

**Ron's Pov**

Once again Ron awoke with his head sore and pounding. He sat up slowly, rubbing his temples and screwing his eyes up tight against the throbbing in his brain. He felt Ginny sit up beside him. The room was still as dark and smelly and ever, and Ron hated to admit it, but he was starting to really need to go to the bathroom. He tried his best to ignore it, and his growling stomach. Ginny's tummy also let out a little gurgle to signal that she was hungry. 

Ron decided to try and stand up, and groaned against the agonising protest of his cramped muscles. Ginny followed suit, also making little noises against her body. 

Ron's heart leapt into his throat when he heard footsteps coming down the steps. What were they in store for now? He gulped when he remembered what Lucius Malfoy had said about it not being very fun for them. Surely his hatred for Ron's family couldn't be _that_ strong, could it? Strong enough to...kill them? Ron gulped down his fears and turned back to the outline of a man's shadow now standing in the doorway. 

"Hello there," came Lucius Malfoy's voice, sneeringly. "Despite my attempts to make you as uncomfortable as possible, I have to say I don't want a mess all over my floor. And besides, without food you won't last very long, which wouldn't suit my plans very well. So my son and I will escort you to our bathrooms, and fetch you some food after you're finished." 

Lucius stepped aside from the doorframe, to reveal a thin, shorter figure standing nervously behind him. Ron felt a cold stab of anger - it was Draco, his schoolmate, or rather, enemy. Luscious came up to their bars, and undid the lock with his wand. Ron stepped cautiously out, aware of every move he made, and Ginny followed, her hand clinging onto his. What if it was a trick? Kept running through Ron's mind. 

***

**Draco's Pov**

Draco was utterly surprised when his father asked him to help escort the prisoners to the bathroom, and fetch them some food. He was also disappointed that he hadn't known in time to warn them. 

He twisted his hands together nervously as they headed down towards the family basement, where he would find the friends of his rival, only his age. He imagined if he was in this situation he'd be as scared as anything, but considering they were in the dumb Gryffindor house, known for being brave, he figured they probably weren't as frightened as he'd be. What would they think of him and his family, kidnapping them like this? He could only guess. Oh, what did he care? He was a Malfoy, why should he care about stupid little poor Weasleys? He sighed. He shouldn't, but somehow he did. 

He gasped when his father opened the door to his dark, dank basement, because of how Ron and his sister Ginny looked. They were dirty; covered in dust; they had blood on the back of their heads, and their clothes were torn in placed and very filthy. He wondered how they could look so bad in such a short period of time. But his attention soon turned to how scared they looked; scared of being there, scared of his own father. With a sickening feeling Malfoy remembered what it was like to be afraid of his father, and pitied them. 

His father spoke to them, letting them out of their cage-like prison, and standing behind them as they walked towards Draco. Draco's stomach jolted when he saw that his own father had his hand on Ginny Weasley's backside, and he wanted more than anything to push his father away from her. She let out a small noise, but made not attempt to run, instead holding her head high while his father chuckled- Ron hadn't noticed, being in front.

As Ron approached him, Draco obeyed his instructions and turned to lead the way to the downstairs bathroom. Up the staircase they walked, and down the long, rich-looking, arching hallway. He could feel Ron burn a whole in his back with his stare, and felt very uneasy as they reached their destination.

"Through there," Draco stammered, still not really believing this situation was actually taking place. Why did _he_ feel so nervous, when they were his captives? It didn't make any sense. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore. 

Ron headed through the doorway, while Ginny stayed behind, waiting her turn. Draco's father still hadn't moved his hand, and Draco was getting dangerously close to slapping it off there himself. He shook his head - she was a filthy little weasel, why should he want to help her, especially against his father? No, that was right - she deserved what she got for being such a muggle-lover. Ron came out, looking a lot better after having obviously just washed his face and hair. 

After Ginny had had her turn, coming out with her hair dripping, they headed back to the cells. Draco noticed that Ginny had made all her attempts to go first, ahead of Ron, and was avoiding his father's eyes. Draco was ordered to walk in front of her by his father, and he felt even more nervous ahead of her than he had Ron. 

Ginny and Ron obediently walked into their own cage, as if they were trained animals at a zoo, and sat down. 

"Go get them some food from the kitchens, Draco," his father ordered, pointing lazily in the direction of the kitchens. Draco did as he was told, and brought back some sandwiches he had told a houself of theirs to make quickly. He also brought some old orange juice that he had always hated, pouring it into to cups and taking it to them. 

When he came back, the looks he saw on Ron's and Ginny's faces gave him a shock. His father was right beside their cage, talking to them so low in underbreath Draco couldn't hear what he was saying, and their faces had gone pale white and scared-looking. He edged closer still - his father didn't seem to have noticed he was back - and caught a few whispers of what he was saying. 

"-And then, I might get my old trusty belt out. It all depends on whether you behave yourselves or not, no trying to escape, understand? Well, the punishments won't stop, but they'd probably be a lot less severe." His father laughed a cold, cruel laugh that Draco hated more than anything, and stood back slightly from their cage. 

Draco stood forward, indicating that he was there and handing Ron and Ginny the plates of sandwiches and cups of orange juice that had been made for them. The glare he received from Ron was furious, but Ginny's eyes were glossy and he could tell she was close to tears. 

"Come on, Draco, let's leave them to eat in peace - they'll be needing their strength." He laughed again and motioned for Draco to follow him up the stairs. _Oh well_, Draco thought, _now that I know where they are, I'll be able to sneak down and see them easy_. He smiled to himself despite everything - a glimmer of hope was shining in the darkness again. 

**Ginny's Pov**

Ginny shivered to herself in the damp, dark, cold basement. She had woken up during a bad dream she'd been having, but Ron was still in a restless slumber. Her thoughts trailed back to what Lucius Malfoy had done to her when they'd been walking to the bathroom, but she dismissed it quickly, forcing herself to think of slightly more pleasant things. 

__

What's going to happen to us? She thought, with a sick feeling in her stomach. Despite what her brother had said, she knew the chances of them getting out of there alive were very slim indeed. It wasn't a nice thought. She wondered what her family would be doing right now, after the two of them had gone missing. She wondered absentmindedly what Harry would be thinking...maybe he'd be thinking about rescuing her. Oh, her crush on him was hopeless. 

__

Why am I thinking about Harry Potter? She asked herself silently. _I might never see my family again, so why would I care if he likes me? It's obvious he doesn't anyway...Oh god, why did it have to be us? We don't deserve this, do we? Ron sure doesn't...I'm glad he's here though...I don't know what I'd do without him - I'm scared enough as it is...Oh, god, oh god, oh god, we're in so much trouble! How are we ever going to get out of this alive?_

"We're doomed..." She whispered, hugging her knees tight. Her heart stopped beating when she heard noises in the direction of the door. Someone was coming down there...She thought about waking Ron up, but she didn't want to unless she really had to. She was a Gryffindor! She should start acting like one! With a grim bout of determination she quietly stood up, waiting for the arrival of the being making it's way down the stairs. 

The door creaked open...but the shadow wasn't like Lucius's tall, thickset shadow...it was more like,

"Malfoy!" She whispered angrily, feeling a stab of cold hatred for the boy she didn't know could be like this. Well, she knew he wasn't a good person, but not _this_ bad. 

"Shhh!" He hissed, closing the door behind him. Ginny was confused. What on Earth was he doing?

"Come to gloat at me have you?" Ginny couldn't contain her anger. Of all the nerve of him and his stupid father, locking them up in here! It was inhumane, was what it was. 

"Look, I'm on your side! Hang on-" Ginny couldn't see what he was doing, but she heard him pull something out of what she assumed was his pocket. "Lumos!" 

The dull light barely even lit up the room, but it lit up their faces enough to show the expressions they were wearing. Malfoy actually looked concerned, but she wasn't buying it - she knew how well he could pull acts, and manipulate his voice to make people believe anything he wanted. Well, not her! She wasn't going to fall for his malicious tricks!

"I'm on your side, it's OK! Look, I hate you, you hate me - that's settled. But, you may think I'm as pitiless and evil a person as there ever was, but I swear I'm not! I don't believe this is right anymore than you do, Weasel-" 

"And why should I believe you? I know you! Your as filthy and mean as your father, it's in the blood! I wouldn't trust _you_ if my life depended on it, Malfoy! And you can put that in writing!" She turned her back to him, leaning on the cold bars of the small cell. She was surprised Ron still wasn't awake, but then, he always had slept like a log. Nothing had changed there, no matter where they were. 

"You _have_ to believe me, Weasel, because if you don't then you'll never get out of here alive. I know you don't want that, and you'll be surprised to learn I don't want it either. I don't want you killed, no matter how much I hate you! Especially him" Malfoy pointed at the half-unconscious sleeping form of Ron on the floor. 

Ginny couldn't believe him! He was insulting her, and Ron, while she was trapped in his own basement with no way out. _And_ he was filling her with false hope of escape, as well as calling her _Weasel_, which she hated above all. She turned back to him, her face contorted in anger. "Yes I do hate you Malfoy - you and your disgusting father! You're both the same! Both lying, malicious, disgusting, mean, horrible - ...h-horrible mean Malfoys!" She felt tears brimming in her eyes, but hell if she was ever going to show him she was crying. 

Malfoy sneered, and she felt another surge of rage flow through her body. "You really don't know that much about me, do you?" He chuckled, but Ginny thought she noticed his eyes looking slightly hurt. "If you think I'm anything like my father, then you're well off. I'm may be a Slytherin, but that doesn't mean I'm totally evil you know. If I was, do you think I'd sneak down here, at the risk of my well being, against my father's wishes, just to gloat at you? No thanks, I've got better things to do with my time then get beat up by my father for being disobedient, just for a moment of glory. You may be a dirty, poor Weasel, but this is still wrong, and you can either let me help you or you can die here, in this gloomy prison of yours. Your choice." 

Ginny could see Malfoy was slightly out of breath after having just rushed all of that out in a bust of annoyance. Should she trust him? Did she really have a choice? _Well, _she thought, _if he can get us out of here like he says, then he's out best chance, right? But, if he's lying, which he probably is, knowing him then...oh, I don't know! _She realised she had been staring into nothingness for about a minute, and thought she better say something quick. He was looking at her, waiting for her decision. 

"Alright...let's say I trust you, what then? What're your plans to get us out? Oh, you'd better be telling the truth, or I swear I'll-" 

"Rattle the cage at me? Let's face it, little Weasel, you wouldn't be able to do much to me now if you tried. Now, my plans are this...My father keeps going out a lot for mysterious business lately, OK? My suggestion, if it works, is that, while he's gone, I'll sneak you out of here. It's a pretty easy and basic plan really. Once you're out of this house, we get on our broomsticks and fly as far away from here as possible - preferably in the direction of the Ministry of Magic, if I can remember the way, that is. I have to broomsticks in my room, so the night we escape I'll get them ready." 

It was a lot for Ginny to take in (and believe, for that matter), but she understood it all, and nodded her head. The something caught her attention. "We?" She questioned, not sure what he meant. "You're coming too? Isn't that a bit risky?" 

"No, it's more risky if I stay behind," he said honestly. "Dad'll guess that I let you out, and he'll probably kill me for it, if not worse..." Malfoy gulped, and for a strange moment Ginny almost felt sorry for him. But then she shook thoughts, reminding herself who was where in this situation. "You'll have to tell him yourself, because I'll bet he'll be even more stubborn then you are." He pointed to Ron, still asleep on the floor, and Ginny nodded in agreement. "I'll come back tomorrow night - I'll have more information then." And with that he left. 

Ginny sat down on the cold stone floor. If old Malfoy really was telling the truth, and actually _did_ want to help them, then they had better chances of surviving it all now then they ever did. But she didn't get her hopes up to high - Malfoy still might be tricking her...it was just like him to do something as malicious as that. It was a well-known trait of the Malfoys for being rich and powerful but deadly evil. She decided to get some sleep, and the last thought in her head was, _Ginny, don't be so stubborn like he says! Trust him...you don't have any other choice...._

***

**Draco's Pov**

Oh, that Ginny Weasley made him so mad! He goes out of his way to try and help her and her brother and what does he get in return? Her being mad at him! Of all the nerve, after all the trouble he went through, and she doesn't trust him! What an arrogant, annoying, stupid little Weasel! He clenched his fists together in rage, after he had just been to see the downtrodden girl in the basement. 

__

Why couldn't she just be easy and believe me? He asked himself, _Why did she have to be so difficult? I can't believe she didn't trust me! I said I would help her, and she still didn't buy it! I can't believe her...It's not like she had any choice to trust in me, but she was still defiant! Well that a dumb Gryffindor for you - don't trust anyone but their muggle-loving kind._

He was so enraged with the girl that he didn't even notice where he was going on the way to his room, and bumped into a large figure walking his way. It was his father! He gulped. "S-sorry, father - wasn't looking where I was going." He looked down at his feet, shuffling them on the carpeted ground, hoping he would be forgiven and not punished. 

"I could see that!" His father spat angrily, grabbing Draco by the collar of his blue shirt. "You should start paying attention to where you're going!" He threw him to the ground, and stampeded past him. Draco took his chance and ran for his bedroom, which was only a hallway away. He hoped to god his father hadn't cottoned on to the fact that he'd been in the basement with the prisoners, because if he did, he'd be murderous. Draco shuddered violently and locked the door to the room, flopping down on his bed and sighing. 

"Why me?" He thought out loud. "Why did I have to be born into this family? Into this world?" He sighed again and felt like punching himself forever thinking that - he was a Malfoy, and he should be damn proud of it! Even if his father did like to torture and kill mudbloods and muggles for a hobby/sport. The he couldn't even handle the thought of doing that, as it made him feel queasy. _Why would anyone want to? I don't get it? Who would get a thrill out of killing people? That's...well, it's horrible, though I'll never tell father that...He'd rip my head off, no question. I admit, sometimes I like hurting people's feeling, but that's not torture or murder! Compared to that it's practically Saintly. There's no point in living a life you don't enjoy, so what's the point of making it as miserable as possible? I should really stop complaining I guess...I'm spoilt the hell out of by my mother, I live in live in a rich old mansion. Even if my father still beats me for things I do wrong, the fact that I'm now 14 going on 15 not stopping him... _

He didn't realise how tired he'd been, and hardly noticed as he drifted off into a restless slumber. Dreams lightened by ideas of freedom, darkened by fears of punishment. 

***

**Ron's Pov**

Once more he woke up on the hardened stone floor, opening his eyes only to meet depressing darkness surround him completely. He just wanted to see daylight again, feel the cool wind breeze on his face, touch the soft grass ground, and lie in the sun, or swim in the water. He couldn't do any of those things stuck there in that cage. _And I don't think I ever will be able to after this, either_, he told himself. 

He smelt his T-shirt, and wrinkled his nose up out how badly he stunk. _If only Harry and Hermione could see me now_, he joked, choking at the thought of his best friends. His throat painfully seized and swelled up, and he felt the familiar sting of tears in his eyes. He missed them so much! All he wanted to do was cry - being stuck here in this situation! He never thought about this kind of thing happening to him! Sure he had his fantasies and daydreams of excitement and adventure, and being the centre of attention in it all, like Harry, but nothing like this. He suddenly felt a pang of guilt about being mad at Harry for getting all the attention, but after what Harry had been through, he deserved to be treated like a king. Every year he'd been at Hogwarts his life had been in mortal peril. _How horrible_, Ron thought, only just realising how bad Harry must feel living like that.

__

Well, he thought to himself, _it's me this time. Just me and Ginny - our lives are in mortal peril now. I doubt we're as lucky to get out of this alive like Harry's been before. I wish I could at least see them all again and say good-bye. Oh well, at least I have Ginny here with me...I don't know what I'd do if she wasn't here..._small sobs issued from his throat, and silent tears streaked down his cheeks. He tried to choke them back, but then they came harder. 

Ginny stirred beside him, and he silenced himself. He wanted to be brave for her - so she would feel safer, though he didn't think it was working very well. He was just Harry Potter's dorky, ginger, lanky sidekick! What could he do? No one liked him, or thought he was brave...it was all Harry! How was he supposed to get through this?

Ginny sat up straight, stretching her arms above her head and yawning. "Do you think it's morning time," she asked softly. 

"I dunno...I lost track of the days when we got here, and that wasn't long ago. Who knows how long we've been here? Seems like ages, but it must have only been for a few days. God, the least they could do was give us some freakin' light down here!" He slammed his fist into the ground, and his face creased in pain when he noticed how hard the ground actually was. 

"Shh, calm down Ron, I have to tell you something. It happened while you were asleep." Ginny soothed him with the calmness of her voice, but he was still a little apprehensive. "Well...Malfoy gave us a little visit - the young one - and told me he was on our side. At first I didn't believe him, but something in his voice told me he was being truthful. He says he's going to help us escape from this place!" Ginny's face was full of excitement and hope, but Ron wasn't buying it.

"Malfoy? Help us escape?" He said dis-believingly, "I'm sorry to disappoint you, Gin', but in case you didn't notice...he's not really the type to do something nice and noble like that. Heck, his father's the one keeping us down here, for Christ's sake!" 

Ginny shook her head. "I know it sounds impossible, but what choice do we have? If he really is telling the truth then he's our best chance for a ticket out of here! If he's not, then well...we're still stuck here - nothing changes. Think about it, big brother." Her bright blue eyes sparkled with new hope, and Ron hated to dampen them. 

He shook his head arrogantly. "Oh...well, I guess you're right. But if he's lying, I'll-" 

"_We'll_ both pound him, how's that sound?" She grinned a shiny, white-toothed grin at him. He smiled back. 

"That sounds good to me, li'l sis'!" He shook his little pinky in the air in indication for her to take it with her own. She did so. "Pinky Promise?" He asked, staring her in the eye, "Promise that we'll both get out of here alive, both together, and see our family and friends again?" 

"Pinky Promise!" she agreed cheerfully. He wondered how she could seem so happy with the situation they were in. But then, he figured, if this was their last time alive, then why waste it being angry and scared and sad? No, making the most of the rest of their time on earth, that should be their plan. 

"Hey Gin," Ron asked, grinning cheekily like Fred and George. "Want to play slapsies?" 

"Oh god..." Ginny groaned, laughing. "Right then, you're on! I'll go first 'cause I'm the lady."

Ron snickered uncontrollably, and she punched his arm playfully and indignantly. "Alright then, you can go first, but you're no lady!" 

She 'hmmphed' but laughed along with him. They started playing slapsies together, barely able to see each other's hands, but determination to have fun fuelling them. 

After a while, Ron wasn't sure how long, they decided to end the little game, as both pairs of hands were now pink in colour and red-raw. Ginny shook had hands and blew on them softly, trying to calm down the stinging sensation Ron was also feeling. "Well that's enough of _that_ game for a while!" She giggled. 

"I'd say! My hands have bloody gone numb!" Ron's hands tingled and she poked them playfully. He hissed, "Ow! Don't _do_ that!"

Ginny burst out laughing at the reaction he had given her, and soon after Ron followed suit. It was a while before they heard voices coming down the stairs they knew all to well. They froze, mid-laugh, and both stood up immediately, waiting ready for their visitors. Ron clung onto the bars with one hand, and held Ginny's tightly in the other.

The voices stopped just outside the door, and it came creaking open, daylight shining into the room. _It's sunny!_ Ron thought, urging to go and run around outside in the free, warm air. 

"Ah," said an unfamiliar, gruff voice, "what lovely specimens! Especially the girl! Bit skinny for my taste though, I must say." Ron felt Ginny give his hand a little squeeze, and she grabbed on to the cell bars as well. 

"Yes, McNair, aren't they perfect? I can see it now, front page Daily Prophet: 'Two Wizard children murdered: The boy found beaten to death; The younger girl, raped and severed.' 

Ron's body ran cold and his hand dropped from the bars. So that's what was going to happen to them? He had tried never to think about it before; always moving it to the back of his mind whenever the subject came up. But now he'd been confronted with the thought, and he didn't like it. It made him feel queasy and desperately want to throw up. 

"Very scared-looking, aren't they both?" Said the man Ron knew as McNair, an executioner for The Department of Fierce Creatures. 

Ron snapped out of his trance. "We may look it, but we're not!" He spat angrily, his hand raising back to the bars and shaking them. "Now would you please tell us what your plans with us are, instead of just standing there talking!" 

"Oh, this one's still got spark," said McNair, grinning. "Can't wait to beat it out of him! You can tell he's a Gryffindor – and a Weasley," he added, his gaze moving to Ron's hair. Ron blushed furiously, his anger rising. 

"Being a Weasley is _much_ better than being any one of you!" He hissed through gritted teeth, his grip on the metal bars tightening. 

"Now, now, calm down." Lucius spoke quietly but deadly, his cold grey eyes hard and staring unblinkingly. "McNair, I think maybe we should teach this one a lesson in his manners. What do you say?"

"Our favourite curse you think?" They both nodded, reaching for the wands in their pockets. Ron drew back, letting go of the bars and pushing Ginny aside. 

It was just in time, too, for, a second after, the shouts of 'Crucio!' echoed around the damp room, shortly followed by Ron's ghostly screams. 

It was pain beyond anything Ron had ever felt before. He felt as though red-hot knives were piercing every part of his body; every part of his skin; the inside of him was on fire, his blood was surely boiling; he knew then that that must be what hell felt like. Then, when he was going to pass out in pure agony, it all stopped, leaving him panting on the hard floor, amidst laughter from the dark wizards outside his small cell. 

Ginny rushed over to him frantically. His throat was soar from screaming; he had cold sweat running down his face, mixed in with silent tears of pain. He was breathing very hard, and his body was extremely shaky as he struggled to get up. If Ginny wasn't helping he would have fallen back down his legs were so weak. 

The howls of laughter died down and Lucius Malfoy spoke up, sneering cruelly. "How was that, little man? We came down here to warn you about what we have decided to do with you (not the girl, though, she stays), McNair?' 

"Yes. Well, you can't have my job at the Ministry and not steal a couple of highly dangerous, non-trainable magical creatures once in a while." 

"What?" Ron questioned, his voice hoarse. 

"Well, we've decided we're going to trap you somewhere with a hideous beast, and see if you can kill it, or it'll kill you. We'll give you your wand, of course – we want a fair fight you know. Hopefully for you some of your friend Harry Potter's obscure _luck_ has rubbed off on you. Otherwise your done for, little man." 

Ron gulped. He wanted to sit back down again, but he knew that would show submitance. Instead, he grabbed Ginny and the bar again and swallowed hard, fighting the urge to throw up. He would have said something, but his mind had gone dead and he couldn't think of anything to say at all. 

"Please," Ginny squeaked out from his side. "Please, don't do that to my brother. Test me with the…beast, not him." 

"Oh, but we couldn't do that," McNair chuckled. "We have other plans for you, little miss…" He let his tongue trace around his lips, sending a shiver down Ginny's spine, and snapping Ron out of his trance. 

"If you do anything to her I swear I'll-"

"You'll what?" Lucius growled, stepping closer to the bars and bringing his face barely inches away from Ron's. 

Ron stood his ground, staring up at the tall man with a look of pure hatred in his eyes. "I'll make you wish you had never been born." 

The two dark wizards laughed at Ron and he blushed the colour of his hair, his face hot. "Oh you will, will you?" Lucius laughed, bringing his face even closer to Ron's. "I highly doubt it. Besides, you probably won't live as long as her, unless you kill the beast instead of the other way round, which is very unlikely. You may be brave, but you're very stupid."

He grabbed Ron's face with a large hand and shook it roughly. He let go, pushing Ron through the bars and into the wall behind him. 

The two evil men laughed maliciously once more and left the two teens, shivering, alone and humiliated. 

**Well, how was that? It's probably crap with loads of spelling mistakes cause I rushed it, but oh well I apologise. Please r&r if you think it's good! And if you don't think it's good r&r anyway and be brutally honest, it's good for me! Lol.**


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